Confidant
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: (Confidant: Someone whom one can trust with something.) Mateo's spells aren't working quite as well as he'd like, and he's become somewhat discouraged. As luck would have it, Sofia and her sorcerer mentor have come for a visit to Avalor, and the Enchancian princess may just have a solution for Mateo's dilemma.


Confidant

Summary: Mateo's spells aren't working quite as well as he'd like, and he's become somewhat discouraged. As luck would have it, Sofia and her sorcerer mentor have come for a visit to Avalor, and the Enchancian princess may just have a solution for Mateo's dilemma.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sofia the First_ or _Elena of Avalor_. (Wow; that took some getting used to. Haha)

A/N: Hey! It's my first deviation from solely _Sofia the First_ in what? Three years? Whoa. Haha. I got this idea watching a few of the Mateo-centered episodes and realized that he and Cedric would likely click. I mean, he and Sofia immediately had a pretty fast friendship connection, so who knows? I'd love it if they actually met one day. Guess we'll see. :D

*Story*

It was a pretty nice day outside, albeit rather cold. Still, that didn't keep some people from venturing outdoors for a while. Mateo was one of those people, it seemed.

He was on the palace balcony, attempting to practice a few new spells he'd been working on. However, his magical item had other plans.

"Aw, come on," Mateo muttered with a sigh as he shook his _tamborita_ a few times. "This is ridiculous. What is wrong with this thing?"

"Mateo?"

"Ah!" The brown-haired wizard turned and sighed in relief when he saw Elena approaching him. "Elena, you scared me."

She giggled. "What are you doing out here?" She wrapped her long coat a little tighter around her arms. "It's freezing. Aren't you cold?"

"Nah, I'm fine. My robe is keeping me warm." He mumbled a few words under his breath and attempted to perform yet another spell, but instead he accidentally lost his grip, dropping the _tamborita_. An annoyed sigh escaped his lips as he leaned down and picked up his beloved item.

The princess smiled and shook her head at the poor boy's actions. He'd been working so hard recently, attempting to help her figure out the mystery behind her Scepter of Light and the reason it caused the draining of her energy. He wasn't as successful as he would have hoped, but she was just grateful he was even trying. "Are you all right, Mateo?"

"Never better," he responded almost instantly, used to appeasing her inquiries. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate Elena's concern, but he didn't want her to worry over him all the time. If she ever got the inclination that he couldn't perform his wizarding duties as he was supposed to, then where would that get him? He needed her to believe in him as much as he believed in her. So if it meant feigning confidence for a bit, so be it.

"Great." She walked up to him and grabbed his arm, pulling him back inside the palace. "Because we have some visitors stopping by in a little while, and I thought it would be nice if you were there with me to greet them."

"Uh, heh. You want _me_ there?" he asked shyly with a nervous smile. "What about your sister and grandparents?"

"Oh, they're visiting a family Isa knows. They'll be back in a few hours. They may actually miss the visit, which is a shame." She shrugged. "But what can you do? So, will you be there?"

He nodded. "I'll always be there when you need me, Elena."

She grinned and patted his cheek playfully. "You're so corny, Mateo."

"Are we almost there?" a weary Cedric asked with a yawn as the flying coach soared through the air. "We've been traveling quite some time."

"Yes, Mr. Cedric," Sofia giggled as she held her grip on a backpack she'd brought with them. "I can't wait for you to meet Princess Elena. She's awesome."

"Mm, yes, you've told me." He smiled toward her before looking off to the horizon. Truth be told, he was a bit nervous to meet the Avaloran princess. If what Sofia told him was actually the case, and he had no doubt it was, Elena was the one responsible for a majority of the things that occurred with Sofia's amulet in the past. Therefore, she was present the whole time he'd attempted to steal the precious piece of jewelry. And she was certainly there when he _did_ take the amulet; it's likely she was the one who constantly cursed him. Oh, he hoped this visit went well. Speaking of which… "So why are we here again?"

"I just really wanted to see Elena and Avalor again. And since we have our winter break now, Dad luckily gave me permission to travel…as long as I had a chaperone of course." She grinned at him.

Cedric rolled his eyes. "Chaperone, mentor, teacher, friend, occasional dance partner…" He smirked when she giggled. "Whatever it is you may call me, thanks for getting me out of the castle for a while. Wormy was driving me mad with his incessant squawking."

The princess seemed concerned. "Where _is_ Wormwood anyway?"

"My mother stopped by to visit, so I sent him with her. I didn't imagine he would want to do this much traveling." He placed his hands behind his head. "Besides, we needed a break from each other."

Sofia laughed. "Oh, Mr. Cedric." She brightened when she recognized the unmistakable landform and buildings that made up Avalor. "We're here!"

He sighed in relief as he lowered his arms. "Wonderful."

A few minutes later, the Enchancian inhabitants found themselves before the grand palace of Avalor. They'd noticed the surrounding area was quite a bit different from their own home country…sort of older in feeling. But it was still very nice, of course. It was a classic feel, really.

Sofia smiled when she saw a few familiar figures approaching. "Princess Elena! Mateo!" She rushed forward and hugged them both, happy to be reunited.

"Hey, Sofia," Elena greeted as she knelt and returned the young girl's hug. "I'm glad you made it here safely."

"You been doing okay?" Mateo asked after his own hug.

"Yes, I've been great. Oh!" She smiled sheepishly. "How could I forget? Princess Elena, Mateo, I'd like you to meet my mentor and friend, and our Royal Sorcerer, Mr. Cedric." She gestured toward her friend, who approached somewhat cautiously. "He traveled here with me today."

"Hi," Mateo greeted warmly. "It's nice to meet another royal sorcerer. Well, technically I'm labeled as a _wizard_ , but whatever—it's all about the same thing, right?"

"Indeed," Cedric agreed with a small nod. His eyes then turned to the brown-haired princess, and he bowed respectfully. "Your Highness."

"Hmm," Elena murmured thoughtfully with a coy smile in his direction. "Ah, so this is Cedric the Sensational I've heard so much about."

He lifted his head and stood normally once again.

"You're the one who helped Sofia out all this time—guided her in the right direction with her amulet." The princess gave him a meaningful stare.

"Um, yes… I, uh…" He cleared his throat. "I did have to assist her with the amulet a few times, though I had no idea that _you_ , um…that a princess was trapped inside. I…apologize…if my…adjustments or interference ever harmed you in any way."

Elena understood what he was saying. She knew he'd changed a lot and that he'd felt guilty for taking Sofia's amulet a while ago. He had tried so hard to be something he wasn't that he was blinded by greed. But he really did seem apologetic now, and for Sofia to put that much faith and trust in him? Well, it seemed to have worked out in both their favors, because he'd become much stronger and more confident. Still, people didn't fully change in such a short period of time, considering how long he'd been after the amulet, so she wasn't entirely sure he'd completely relinquished his quest for it. Still, as far as she was concerned, there was hope for him; he just had to believe in his own abilities rather than hoping to obtain powers from such a powerful amulet. "You're forgiven," she replied with a wink, passing along a secret message to him.

Cedric sighed in relief and finally offered her a genuine smile. "Thank you, Your Highness…"

"So what have you been up to recently?" Sofia asked curiously as she put her backpack on her shoulders. She'd missed the entire exchange between her friends, to their amazement. Some things never changed, it seemed.

"Oh, nothing much," Elena said with a shrug. "Rebuilding what Shuriki destroyed, hiring new people for the palace, keeping my cousin Estéban calm so he doesn't have a complete breakdown when I do things differently as a ruler since he's so old school…" She giggled. "You know, the usual. Oh, and Mateo and I are working together a bit more too. Being in your amulet so long caused me to have powers of my own it seems, so he's helping me out with that."

"Yeah, it's tricky," Mateo admitted as he tapped his _tamborita_ against his shoulder. "My grandfather would be surprised to see how complicated magic has become."

Cedric almost laughed. _No kidding_ , he thought to himself.

"It's been a bit challenging helping Elena out when my own magic isn't even working right, though," the young wizard lamented with a sigh. "Sometimes I wonder if magic is all it's cracked up to be. You mess it up so many times that you start to doubt yourself."

Sofia smiled thoughtfully. In her opinion, Mateo's dilemma reminded her a lot of Cedric back when she'd first met him a few years ago. He grew from a bumbling and uncertain sorcerer to one who effortlessly cast magic spells and stepped up in so many ways. She gasped as an idea came to her. "Mateo, I have an idea. You're having trouble with your spells?" She grabbed Cedric's arm and tugged on his sleeve gently. "I bet Mr. Cedric could help you!"

"He could?"

"I could?" Cedric echoed with a glance to his apprentice. "Sofia, our magic isn't going to be quite the same. What works for a wand may not work for a _tamborita_ …"

"You never know until you try," the young princess told him encouragingly. "Besides, it's not all about the words—it's about the confidence and the self-assurance." She smiled sweetly as his doubt eased away. "Right?"

The Royal Sorcerer smiled thoughtfully. "Right, I suppose. Mateo, if you would like, I could help you out with a few things that you may be overlooking."

"Really? Sweet!" the younger magic wielder cheered. "Thanks, Mr. Cedric. You're awesome."

Elena and Sofia sat to the side as they watched their wizard and sorcerer work together to solve Mateo's magic limitations. As it turned out, having an outside perspective and years of experience and trial and error definitely provided Cedric with an edge that aided both himself and Mateo in the long run.

"Your Mr. Cedric is something else, hmm?" Elena asked the younger princess with a soft smile.

"Yeah, he's the best. We didn't exactly see eye to eye when I first met him. I'm sure I got on his nerves." She giggled. "A little girl from the village suddenly waltzes into the castle as a new princess and starts pestering him about magic… I'm sure my sister and brother never did that, unless they wanted him to _perform_ magic for them. I actually wanted to _learn_ it." She tugged absently at her amulet, which Elena noticed. "After a little convincing, he made me his apprentice, and I've been studying with him ever since."

"Hmm. That's sweet." Elena watched her friend yell out a command, tapping his _tamborita_ and creating a surge of energy, which quickly dissipated. "It's nice to have someone like that, hmm? Someone who's willing to give you the opportunity to be someone you never thought you could be."

"Yeah, it is. Mr. Cedric has become one of my best friends, and he's someone I've come to count on. When you have something so powerful that it sends so many people chasing after you for it, it's nice to have someone who will protect you at all costs."

The older princess sighed. It's true. Cedric had protected this young girl on numerous occasions. She knew very well that in the past, he'd mainly been protecting the amulet. But the more she worked her way into his life and eventually his heart, the less it had become about the magical gem and the more it had become about the only true friend the sorcerer had ever had. She only sincerely hoped it lasted and that the purple-clad sorcerer wouldn't revert to his old ways. Still, she chose to look on the bright side this time. "Looks like you've rubbed off on him somewhat, Sofia."

The auburn-haired girl glanced up at the brunette. "What makes you say that?"

"Would Cedric have done _this_ a few years ago? Traveled to another country with you just to meet another magical person and train him for a few hours?"

"Uh, no. No, past Mr. Cedric would have made every excuse in the world to stay in his workshop and not talk to people. It took a _lot_ of convincing to get him to do something not related to his work. He works harder than anyone I know."

Elena laughed softly. "I have one just like that." She studied her scepter in her hands and glanced toward the girl. "Sofia, I want you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me you'll continue seeing the good in others, but also promise me you'll be careful not to trust the wrong people." Not that she didn't trust Cedric now. He'd definitely changed, and she could sense it, even if there was still a tiny bit of concern or doubt lingering. But there were so many out there who would and _had_ taken advantage of the girl, and she did not want to see her get hurt. In a way, she now saw the girl as another little sister to protect.

Sofia nodded. "I promise. I've started getting a sense of who doesn't have my best interests at heart and who can or cannot be trusted. Like this guy Slickwell…"

"Yeah, I remember that arrogant steward wannabe," the princess of Avalor remarked with a smirk. "Great singer. Terrible personality. Doesn't understand the meaning of the word 'no.'"

Sofia laughed.

Cedric and Mateo finally ceased their practice or lesson—whatever one wanted to call it. They approached the princesses.

"You guys done?" Elena asked as she stood and put her hand on Mateo's shoulder.

"Yeah… Mr. Cedric's a great teacher," Mateo responded with a short laugh. "You'd make a great professor."

Cedric offered the younger boy a genuine smile. "Thank you. I appreciate it. And you, young man, have all you need to become a true Royal Wizard. All you have to do is continue your efforts: put your all into it, believe in yourself, and never give up. Practice your spells. Perfect your potions. If it fails, it fails. Try it again. You'll never become truly great if you don't allow yourself fail once in a while."

Sofia smiled proudly. "Spoken like a true Royal Sorcerer," she giggled.

A few hours passed before Sofia and Cedric decided it was time to go. Sofia bid farewell to both Elena and Mateo before climbing into the coach. Cedric shook Mateo's hand and then turned to Elena, who gave him one of her knowing stares again.

"Your Highness," he acknowledged with another bow. "It was nice to finally meet you in person."

"Likewise," she returned with a small smile. "Can I talk to you for just a minute?"

Cedric swallowed nervously. "Um, certainly. Sofia, I'll be right there."

"Okay, Mr. Cedric."

Once they were out of earshot, Elena began: "I know everything, Cedric. And you know I do."

"But I…"

"Uh-uh. Shh, let me finish." She smiled gently as he became silent and watched her. " _But_ despite everything you may have _tried_ to do in the past, I can see a real change in you. Only a real friend would have returned that amulet when Sofia was distraught. Call it guilt or whatever you want, but you have grown up and become someone I never realized you could be. I'm proud of you, Cedric."

Cedric's eyes widened. Well, that was something he hadn't been expecting.

"Now, Sofia's going to be on a new journey now that her amulet no longer has to deal with me, and she's going to need all the help she can get. Can I count on you to keep her safe and help her out? Because I kind of see her as a little sister now, and I want to make sure she's taken care of."

He nodded with a small nervous chuckle. He never thought he'd be having _this_ conversation with someone. "Y-You have my word, Princess Elena. I'll protect Sofia and help her out any way I can."

She smirked. "Those are words I _know_ you wouldn't have said a few years ago. Nice job, Cedric the Sensational." She gave him a brisk hug before smiling. "Be safe in your journey."

"Ah, yes, we will. Thank you, Princess."

She chuckled softly. "Thank _you_ , Cedric."

As the Enchancian friends headed home, Mateo turned to Elena and twirled his _tamborita_ confidently. "You know, I feel like I've got my spirit back now. Mr. Cedric is a pretty cool guy."

"He used to be a pretty bad one," Elena admitted to her friend. "In fact, he often tried to steal Sofia's amulet."

Mateo's eyes widened. "What? Really? So…what happened? Why did he change?"

"Sofia. Sofia's the one person I've met who can completely change a person around with just a few kind words and an understanding smile. Her heart is so pure and courageous, which is why I chose her to wear the amulet in the first place. If anyone could succeed with its powers, it was her."

"So… Do you think Mr. Cedric has changed for good and will be better then? Because, uh…that's kind of a really bad thing, what you just told me."

She smiled with a small laugh. "I believe he's certainly much better than he used to be. No one changes fully overnight, Mateo. But with Sofia there to help him, he's going to be the best Royal Sorcerer Enchancia has ever seen." She then grabbed his hand. "And with me, Naomi, Gabe, and the rest of Avalor behind _you_ , Mateo de Alma, you'll be the best Royal Wizard _Avalor_ has ever seen. Just believe in yourself."

He smiled brightly. "Thanks, Elena…and…thanks for sticking by me and believing in me."

She giggled. "Right back at ya, Mateo."

The end


End file.
